SDS Drill Bit Compatibility

What is SDS?

SDS stands for slotted drive system, which means the drill bits have a slot at the end of the shank which fits into the chuck of an SDS+ drill. These slots lock the drill bit into position and allow it to be propelled forward by the hammering action of your drill, at the same time as it rotates. Inside the drill bit shaft are two sprung ball bearings, as opposed to a regular drill bit that is held in place by the three teeth of the drill chuck.

SDS drill bits are effective for working with strong materials such as bricks and masonry. This is because they have the addition of a piston firing the drill bit forward and back. The slots on the SDS drill bits allow for this hammering motion which thereby increases the strength of the drill’s pounding action.

In regular hammer drills the entire chuck moves back and forth, expending a lot of power. An SDS drill bit offers more efficient performance by only moving the bit and thereby concentrating the energy into the point of the drill bit.

The back and forth motion of the SDS drill bit also eliminates the need to lean in hard to get your drill to work efficiently. By just applying a normal level of pressure you can let the drill do the work.

SDS, SDS+ and SDS MAX Drill Bits

SDS

The original SDS drill bits were designed by Bosch in the seventies to enable easier drilling of masonry and concrete. They used a hammering action combined with a rotary action and revolutionised working with hard and dense materials.

SDS Plus

The SDS Plus is an improvement on the original design and offers the same rotary plus hammering action to expel concentrated energy into the brickwork or concrete.

This new system enabled a quick and snug fit into a spring loaded chuck. This tight fit results in a stronger hammer action for masonry drilling. These drill bits come in sizes ranging from 5mm to 25mm diameter. Jaybro also stocks a range of SDS+ chisel bits.

SDS Max

SDS Max drill bits have a larger diameter shank compared to the SDS plus. They are designed for heavier masonry work and the larger surface area offers significantly more grunt. Note that SDS Max drill bits need a special converter to work with a SDS or SDS+ chuck. The size of the SDS Max shank – up to 40mm – means that these drill bits are an efficient choice for commercial building and construction use. These drill bits are available in 12mm right up to 40mm diameter. Jaybro can supply masonry SDS Max chisels in addition to our range of SDS Max bits.

SDS Max to SDS Plus Adaptor

Conveniently, SDS Plus and SDS drills and bits are cross compatible.

However, SDS Max drill bits require a chuck adaptor or converter to enable them to be used with your rotary hammer. Their significantly larger diameters mean that an SDS Max converter is needed in order to fit the bit to the drill.

What are the best SDS Drill Bits?

To sum it up: SDS+ is great for light duty applications such as light demolition and construction, domestic builds, interior fit outs etc.

SDS MAX however is the best choice for people who work with and demolish concrete professionally. If you are working in the construction sector every day, building high rise apartments, tower blocks, working with tilt up panels or brickwork – SDS MAX drill bits will give you the power and efficiency you need to get the job done.

Find out more about SDS drill bits

Shop online for SDS, SDS Max and SDS+ drill bits at Jaybro, or call our friendly team to place an order.